St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-30
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.
The Benefits the Interstate Commerce
Bill Have Knocked the Boys
Out of.
The st. Paul Globe Considered an "Old
Standby" by the knights of
the Grip.
A Little Small Talk About the Boys.
Stockdale Chased by Prairie
Wolves.
SEVERE SUFFERERS.
The Advantages of Which the
Interstate Commerce Bill RObs
Commercial Travellers.

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The Advantages of Which the
Interstate Commerce Bill RObs
Commercial Travellers.
The passage of the interstate COM
merce bill has materially effected the
commercial travellers, and especially
those who are members of the T. P. A.
AT the time that this bill became a law
fifty-eight railroads east and south of
Chicago were giving commercial tray
elers the benefit of the week end ticket,
which was a ticket sold to members of
the L; Z. A., good from Saturday noon
until the following Monday at midnight.
This ticket could only be procured upon
the presentation by the purchaser of his
certificate of membership in the TIP. A.
The ticket was sold them at the lowest
One-Way fare, and was q great cOnven-
fence to commercial travellers, since it
enabled them to often come in from the
road and spend the Sabbath with their
families. pleasure best appreciated by
the knights of the grip. This benefit
had never been given commercial tray
elers by any of the Northwestern
roads, but it is understood that one of
the principal lines running between
Chicago and st. Paul had prepared
weekend tickets, and was about to is
sue them when the interstate commerce
Dill became a law, and it was pre-
vented from doing so.
Besides granting weekend tickets on
the presentation of the II. p. A. MEM
bership certificate, commercial travellers
were allowed to carry $50 pounds eX-
cess baggage, and thouSand-mile tick
cts were sold them at S. less than the
regular rate. These were benefits highly
appreciated by the boys on the road,
and the jObbers that they represented
were joint beneficiarieS, for the less it
cost their representatives to travel the
less was their expense account at the
end OF each month. To get these COM
missions cost the commercial travellers
considerable diplomacy and quiet but
effective strategy. They asked the roads
for these benefits, but they told them no.
The boys did not grumble, but they
asked the houses that they represented
to ship over one line, which, they did,
and within two months the boys were
offered weekend tickets, excess bag
gage and a reduction on their
thouSand-mile books by nearly every
road running east and south of Chicago.
and they accepted the benefits that were
proffered them and once more the ship
ment of goods was distributed among
the various lines.
The passage of the interstate COM
merce bill has, as has been said before.
robbed the travelling man of all these
advantages, and naturally enough he
feels that he
DOES NOT DESERVE
such treatment. The only railroad that
continues to grant them these fayors is
the Grand Trunk, but the other roads
say: ''We cR't do it, for it would be
violation N lNx
ourselves liable to heavy fine.''
The question with the boys is 'sif the
Grand Trunk can do this why can't the
other roads?" and this is the only rea-
SOnable answer they can find:
They don't want to-" and this is
probably true. If the other lines were
anxious to find out whether the Grand
Trunk people had right or wrong in
depreciation of the law, and if they had
a right and wanted to give the boys all
the benefits they have extended them in
against the Grand Trunk and get the
verdict of the interstate commission.
Some decisive action will be
taken by the L. p. A. regard
ing this matter at its annual con-
ventiOn to be held next month in st.
Louis. This matter will be one of the
leading, if not the leading, issues of
that convention, and the members of
the various divisions of the associations
throughout the United States are work.
ing very successfully for the indorse-
ment of the jobbers, who have gener-
ally Signified their intention to stand by
the men who have charge of their bust
ness interests on the road in any reason
able step that they shall take for the
promotion of their own welfare. What
is benefit from the railroads to the
commercial traveller is benefit either
directly or indirectly to the dealer he
represents. The travelling mans inter-
eSts are closely allied with the interests
OF his employer and they must from the
very nature of things stand together.
This fact is recognized by the jobbers,
and they have never failed to work in
harmony and unison with the travelling
men when their projects seemed to be
for the good Of both and was in itself
reasonable.
The Il. p. A. numbers nearly $4,000
members, and when they work together
they are a power that cannot be ig-
nOred. Outside of this organization
there is vast army of commercial
travellers who, when they put their
shoulder to the wheel with their united
brothers, generally make things move.
Ii the commercial travellers can by fair
means recover to themselves the adj
vantageS so suddenly Snatched from
them by the interstate commerce law
they will do it, and they will be heard
from when they convene in st. Louis
next month.